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pamoja education

Te a c h i n g t h e I B o n l i n e

MANDARIN AB INITIO
Mandarin ab initio is a language acquisition course for students having little or no experience
with Chinese languages. Learning a language is more than simply acquiring vocabulary and
understanding some grammatical rules.

Summary
The Mandarin ab initio course aims to develop the receptive, The language component of the course is designed so that
productive and interactive skills to a high level of communicative receptive, productive and interactive skills may be developed
competence. While providing a solid framework in terms in an integrated way. To that end, Mandarin ab initio students
of grammar and vocabulary, the Mandarin ab initio course is may be involved in many different forms of communication
organised into a number of cultural and thematic topics related and a wide variety of texts, such as newspaper, telephone
to three themes: individual and society, leisure and work, urban conversations, class discussions about a written text,
and rural environment in which grammatical structures and informal conversations, conferences, drama, and e-mails.
vocabulary can be practised. The topics provide the students Furthermore, students are expected to develop accuracy
with opportunities to practise and explore the language and fluency in expression, and control over vocabulary,
as well as to develop intercultural understanding. Through register, grammar, pronunciation and intonation.
the development of receptive, productive and interactive The syllabus features three themes: individual and society,
skills, students are enabled to communicate and interact leisure and work, urban and rural environment subdivided
appropriately in a defined range of everyday situations. into twenty topics that develop students language
competency and knowledge of different text types in a
range of real situations. A range of texts are accessed in the
Syllabus Overview course. Language skills are not developed in isolation but
The Mandarin ab initio course: rather through the use of a wide range of contemporary
Focuses on developing critical character writing skills materials such as advertisements, newspaper and magazine
early and often. This is done using character sheets to articles, catalogues, forms, instructions, and much more.
develop correct stroke order. Work will be evaluated Teachers and students collaborate to choose texts that
by a teacher. address the students needs and interests.
Utilises a number of technical and social solutions to Intercultural understanding is at the centre of the course
maximise communicative speaking opportunities. design. Students are expected to become familiar with
Encourages students to be actively productive in their aspects of the everyday life and culture of the world of the
use of Mandarin. Mandarin language through the texts they study. The study
Utilises professionally recorded native speakers of of particular features of the culture is not an end in itself but
Mandarin Chinese. The audio recordings are also a means by which the students learn about a different way
available as a web-based resource, and for download, of life, and consequently develop their language skills.
for continuing drill and practice.
Provides students with opportunities for further
understanding of both language and culture using
Prerequisites
No prior study of Chinese is expected. The language ab initio
authentic and contextual video. courses are language learning courses for beginners, designed
This course is designed to integrate three main areas: to be followed over two years by students who have no
language, texts and themes. These are interconnected and previous experience of learning the target language.
studied concurrently; they have intercultural understanding
at their centre.

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